The villa was luxurious, yet eerily empty. Seated in the vast hall, someone naturally presented the tea set, and then Fang Mingsheng personally brewed a pot of Gongfu tea.

The tea set was exquisite: a small, reddish-purple clay teapot from Yixing, paired with white porcelain cups. First, water was poured into the small teapot, then Oolong tea leaves were added, and finally, it was placed over the heat to brew.

Soon, the water boiled, and wisps of steam rose. In that very instant, Fang Mingsheng lifted the small teapot and gently poured a stream into the shallow, pure white teacups.

Instantly, the aroma of tea filled the air—clear and captivating. The cups were diminutive, their openings scarcely larger than a copper coin.

Wang Guan picked one up delicately; it was just the right size for a single sip. He took a small draught.

The tea was initially slightly bitter, which he found quite unfamiliar. However, after the bitterness, a lingering, sweet fragrance emerged, leaving an endless aftertaste.

Of course, as he was drinking, someone, following Fang Mingsheng’s instructions, moved a large chest forward. The chest was quite tall, suggesting its contents were substantial.

Simultaneously, Wang Guan found himself unable to sit still any longer. With an apologetic smile to Fang Mingsheng, he rose and walked toward the chest.

After receiving Fang Mingsheng’s assent, he gently lifted the lid. At first glance, Wang Guan froze.

Inside the box was a large vase, truly not small in volume—by rough estimate, at least seventy or eighty centimeters tall. The shape was unusual: a flared, bowl-shaped mouth, a straight neck leading to full shoulders, a capacious belly that tapered down to a splayed ring foot.

Furthermore, the neck was adorned with stylized Kui dragon-shaped handles. While the basic form of the vase was not extraordinary, the most crucial detail was that its entire surface was blanketed in glazed artistry.

From the lip down to the foot, no fewer than sixteen different colored glazes had been applied, each featuring entirely distinct patterns. The shoulder, from top to bottom, featured Jun Red glaze, Doucai floral motifs, and celadon glaze.

The main body was adorned with Jì Lán (sacrificial blue) ground overlaid with gilded cartouches showcasing twelve auspicious designs. The belly and foot were finished with glazes imitating Ge ware, underglaze blue scrolling vines, green glaze with gilded petals, gilded fret patterns, imitation Guan ware, and a reddish-brown glaze featuring gilded floral motifs.

The patterns on the vase’s belly formed the primary decoration, totaling twelve exquisitely detailed scenes. Wang Guan took a cursory look and noted that six of these were realistic pictorial representations of auspicious symbols such as the Three Rams Bringing Prosperity (Sānyáng Kāitài), Abundance and Celebration (Jíqìng Yǒuyú), and the Phoenix Greeting the Sun (Dānfèng Cháoyáng).

In essence, the entire large vase was a confluence of high-temperature, low-temperature, colored glazes, and underglaze and overglaze painting techniques. It was not merely ornate but stunningly beautiful.

“The King of Chinese Porcelain!” In a flash, Wang Guan exclaimed, “Is it?” “Yes, that’s the one,” Fang Mingsheng replied, his eyes showing a trace of painful regret. Such a treasure was virtually unique, with few comparable pieces existing globally.

He was certain one resided in the Palace Museum in Beijing, and rumor had it the Taipei Palace Museum possessed another. Beyond that, there were confusing, vague reports swirling around.

The title “King of Chinese Porcelain” was certainly not awarded lightly, and this large vase deserved that honor. The firing process for this vase was incredibly complex, both in its palette of colors and the sheer intricacy of its decoration.

It represented the pinnacle of porcelain craftsmanship across successive dynasties, standing as the only extant piece showcasing the greatest number and finest execution of decorative techniques. Because the techniques used for nearly every variety of porcelain from previous eras could be found integrated into this single vase, some began calling it the ‘Porcelain Mother’ (Címǔ).

In truth, even the experts at the Palace Museum have yet to settle on a suitably evocative name, generally referring to it simply as the ‘Various Glazes Vase’ (Gèsè Yòu Dàpíng). However, compared to a name as unremarkable as ‘Various Glazes Vase,’ most people preferred calling it the ‘Porcelain Mother’ or the ‘King of Chinese Porcelain.’ Of course, all the true glory belonged to the authentic piece held by the Palace Museum, not this imitation.

“How can you tell it’s a reproduction?” Wang Guan inquired, already examining the piece closely. The vase was large and appeared exquisitely crafted, but possibly due to having been recovered from the sea, the surface glaze showed signs of abrasion.

Under magnification, the colors of the various glazes appeared slightly muted. Yet, ironically, these very characteristics lent credence to the object being genuine, explaining why Fang Mingsheng had been deceived initially.

“Elder Zeng said…” Fang Mingsheng began to explain but suddenly stopped, asking instead, “Now that you’ve confirmed it’s a fake, can you point out precisely where the forgery lies?” “Are you testing me?” “Exactly,” Fang Mingsheng admitted. “I told others it was fake, but they thought I was joking because they couldn’t see the flaw.

If even you can’t spot it, I might as well sell it off and recoup my losses.” “Then why haven’t you?” Wang Guan was genuinely curious. Given Fang Mingsheng’s character, even if cheated, he should have no compunction about deceiving others in turn.

Why had he suddenly adopted such upright principles? Such matters were usually acted upon rather than announced if one intended to follow through.

“What other reason could there be?” Fang Mingsheng sighed. “Elder Zeng warned me: if I dared try to swindle someone with this, he would sacrifice his reputation, join his peers, and blacklist me, kicking me out of this entire circle.” “Oh.” Hearing this, Wang Guan immediately felt a deep respect for the hitherto unknown Elder Zeng.

Another true, great collector, deserving of the highest admiration. While reflecting, Wang Guan returned to studying the large vase.

He cared little for Fang Mingsheng’s test, but failing to find the evidence of forgery when he already knew it was a fake would be a significant embarrassment. “According to records,” Wang Guan recalled while closely observing, “this vase was meticulously fired during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, ordered by Emperor Qianlong to commemorate his achievements as the ‘Perfect Old Man’.” “The grand vase incorporates a total of fifteen glaze colors, sixteen decorative bands, and twelve auspicious motifs.

Such a massive, technically sophisticated, and exquisite artifact is truly unparalleled.” Wang Guan mused, “It is said that no one has successfully replicated it to this day. Even existing imitations are purely conjectural creations by forgers based on photographs from the Palace Museum, aiming only for approximate patterns and motifs.

Upon close inspection, they invariably reveal numerous discrepancies.” “However, this particular vase is an exception; it looks remarkably authentic.” At that moment, Wang Guan blinked and sighed softly, “Truly worthy of Master Zhu Da; even the Címǔ can be copied.” “All appearance, no substance,” Fang Mingsheng scoffed. “Here’s a hint, courtesy of Elder Zeng: Only flaws require covering up.

If you grasp the meaning of that, you’ll surely find the weak spot.” “Flaws require covering up…” Wang Guan pondered for a moment, then his eyes lit up. He immediately reached into the vase to touch the interior, then stepped back several paces, examining the body against the sunlight.

A moment later, a look of sudden comprehension dawned on his face. “Too many dazzling patterns confuse the eye; only short grass can hide the horse’s hooves.

It makes sense why they tossed it into the sea, faking the appearance of a salvaged piece.” “What? You found the flaw?” Fang Mingsheng looked surprised.

“Tell me, what did you discover?” “The craftsmanship of this piece is incredibly intricate, especially the layered glazes and complex patterns on the body. If there was even the slightest deviation during the firing process, the vase would certainly have been ruined,” Wang Guan analyzed.

“I know that much,” Fang Mingsheng said gravely. “The key is the flaw.

What is the flaw in this large vase?” “Don’t rush, let me finish,” Wang Guan continued. “Consider the shape of water: it conforms to its container.

Similarly, the setting and solidification of the glazes and patterns depend entirely on the quality of the carrier—that is, the clay body.” “The body is the foundation. You should understand that, Mr.

Fang, right?” Seeing Fang Mingsheng nod, Wang Guan smiled and pointed at the vase: “The body of this piece is wrong.” “…Where is it wrong?” Fang Mingsheng’s eyes flickered. “Be specific.” “The clay body is excessively thick and heavy, making it appear clumsy.

To put it plainly, it’s dead heavy; you need effort just to lift it,” Wang Guan chuckled. “But it’s understandable; after all, it’s an eighty-centimeter vase, overlaid with various glazes, requiring meticulous heat control through a convoluted process.

Overlooking the weight might be an oversight.” “Furthermore, I suspect Master Zhu Da hadn't fully mastered the technique for firing the Címǔ, so he only dared to apply so many layers of glaze onto such a thick, heavy body.” As he spoke, Wang Guan added with a smile, “A thicker body allows the glaze to adhere more firmly to the vase. Ultimately, it comes down to inadequate technique.” “Think about it: Tang Ying supervised the imperial kilns for decades in the Porcelain Capital, yet ultimately only produced a handful of these Various Glazes Vases.

That shows the difficulty of the process. It’s not easy for Master Zhu Da to replicate it one hundred percent.” At this point, Wang Guan deduced, “If he couldn’t achieve exact replication, he had to find an alternative approach to compensate.

The best method was to grind down the thickness of the body and then toss it into the sea to simulate wear from sea abrasion.” “This approach yields two benefits. First, after being soaked in seawater, even if there are discrepancies in weight, people attribute it to sea immersion, reducing suspicion.” Wang Guan held up two fingers.

“The second reason is to mask the defect. If you look closely, you can see a slight bleeding or blurring effect in the patterns on the vase.” “A genuine piece would certainly lack this effect, but Master Zhu Da cleverly disguised it as a salvaged artifact, making the slight blurring seem normal due to sand abrasion from the seabed.” After this detailed analysis, Wang Guan smiled.

“Mr. Fang, am I correct?” “You are absolutely correct,” Fang Mingsheng said, astonishment coloring his eyes.

“Your observations match Elder Zeng’s insights exactly.” “That’s largely thanks to your hint, Mr. Fang,” Wang Guan replied modestly.

“Or perhaps, Elder Zeng’s judgment preceded mine, making mine mere hindsight. I’m just parroting others’ brilliance; it’s no great skill of my own.” (To be continued)